In April 2023, Stephanie Brown received an alarming call while at work. Her North Philadelphia home was on fire. She rushed home to witness the unthinkable.

“All I could do was cry and watch as my house burned. We lost everything,” she said.

The fire, Stephanie explained, happened next door, but it didn’t take long for the back of her home to catch fire, too. She’s grateful that her daughter, who was in the home with her boyfriend at the time of the fire, escaped when they saw smoke coming through the walls.

“I never expected a fire before or knew anyone who had experienced a fire,” Stephanie shared. “To sit there and watch as you lose everything you have built over 20 years, it’s devastating.”

After the fire, Stephanie and her family recovered at the Red Cross House, a one-of-a-kind disaster recovery center in West Philadelphia that supports families after disasters in a safe and comfortable environment. Families get their own room and key with a bathroom and three meals per day while they develop a recovery plan with an American Red Cross caseworker.

“Everyone went out of their way to help me. There isn’t enough words to express the gratitude,” she said.

In addition to support from the Red Cross, Stephanie took advantage of many free services and activities that the City of Philadelphia has to offer. That’s especially important since she’s now the primary caretaker of her three granddaughters Khyleya (age 13), Ce’yanee (age 11) and Na’eemah (age 3).

“When you’ve experienced a fire, it’s extremely devastating and hard, but you’re never really alone, thank goodness,” she shared.

Stephanie is still trying to rebuild, and they’re temporarily living with her mother Verna. The three generations of women came back to the Red Cross House on Dec. 20th for an annual Children’s Holiday Party – designed to help make the holiday season a little brighter for families who stayed there over the past year.

At the party, families enjoyed a meal, cookie decorating with JNA Culinary Arts Institute, photos with Santa, Mrs. Claus and Red Cross mascot Fred Cross, a visit from the Philadelphia Fire Department and gifts – four gifts per child thanks to the generosity of Red Cross volunteers, staff and community partners.

“Things like this make it better. Things like this go a long way,” Stephanie shared.

As she and Verna got the girls bundled up in winter coats at the end of the party – all while juggling gifts from Santa, decorated gingerbread cookies and a large gift basket of goodies she won as a door prize – Stephanie added, “I can’t say enough about the Red Cross. Thank you.”

- Photo and story by Alana Mauger